WA city sweats through record-breaking heatwave

Geraldton has sweated through a record-breaking autumn heatwave, with seven-consecutive days of 40C-plus weather — making it the hottest week in March on record.

From Monday, March 24 to Sunday, March 30, the mercury climbed to 40C or above, with the hottest day being 42.9C on Monday, March 24.

According to Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Téa Jones, the unseasonably hot weather is due to a west coast trough which dragged hot easterly winds.

A bureau spokesperson said the only time Geraldton Airport had recorded seven consecutive days with maximum temperatures above 40C was between February 16-22, 1985.

Data has been collected at the Geraldton Airport site since 1941.

The warm weather over the past week was not enough to break the individual day record for March, which was 43.5C recorded on March 9, 2012.

It reached a peak of 38.8C on Monday.

SEVEN-DAY HOTSPELL MAX. TEMPERATURES FOR GERALDTON AIRPORT

Monday, March 24: 42.9C

Tuesday, March 25: 40.7C

Wednesday, March 26: 41.6C

Thursday, March 27: 41.5C

Friday, March 28: 40.4C

Saturday, March 29: 41.2C

Sunday, March 30: 40.0C